


Promises

by RayneSummer



Category: Uncharted
Genre: Chapter 19: The Settlement, just Nate on his own, set during u3, trying to get his family back
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-31
Packaged: 2018-05-30 08:18:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6415999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RayneSummer/pseuds/RayneSummer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nate finally stumbles across a village after days in the desert. But he needs a reminder of his promise to reunite his family, and the fact that he can do it if he tries.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> This is a headcanon of mine, that after walking through the desert for three days, there is no way Nate can just suddenly fight off a village full of Marlowe's men; he has to have a brief rest and some water first, to get the strength - both physically and emotionally - to carry on. Poor Nate, on his own, needing his family back.

When the armoured guy was finally downed, Nate staggered out from behind cover, gun dangling from one hand.

His head was just a numb mess, dull and thudding in time with his heartbeat in his ears, aching endlessly. He was sick to the stomach of the sun's merciless glare, but shade offered little help from the suffocating heat.

Nate stumbled and fell to his knees by the ring of stoned wall, dragging himself the last meter to slump against it, drawing in difficult breaths - his mouth felt like scratching cotton, his throat burned raw and dry. Every intake of air sought fresh pain.

He knew he'd long since past mere dehydration and malnorishment; by now his body was shutting down and Nate knew he was slowly dying. But his mind was so foggy he couldn't find the energy to fight much more, the brief burst of adrenalin from the appearance of Marlowe's men ebbed away, leaving only exhaustion and defeat.

'Shit,' he thought wearily, blinking and glancing around the wall in an effort to remain conscious... if he passed out now, he knew he very well may not come round again (God, he was lucky the last time, only the urge of needing Sully eventually dragged him out of the darkness.)

Sully... Nate shook his head to clear it a bit, ignoring the pounding. Dammit, he'd gotten here against all odds, he had to carry on and find Sully, had to get to him, had to tell him they're family, had to... he had to...

His gaze fell on a bottle half-buried in the sand. On instinct he grabbed it, pulling the top off, and putting it to his lips, hoping. Water gushed out, filling his mouth, and he choked on it, his swollen tongue unable to help swallow.

Still, it felt like heaven and beautifully painful at the same time as it quenched the helpless blazing of thirst.

He panted, having paused after the first mouthful, still coughing, before allowing himself more, ignoring the effort it took to drink. There was about half the bottle left, and when the last drop had gone, Nate lowered it, still clinging for dear life.

Sights and sounds were sharper almost immediately, and oh god, the liquid had worked wonders. Everything still hurt like hell, but he could finally feel strength in his limbs as he clambered slowly to his feet, almost managing to stand steadily

Nate dropped the bottle, gripping the gun in his other hand even tighter as he turned to face the way further into this village. He could hear distant shouting of more of the agents looking for him, and he braced himself against the stone wall for another moment before starting forward.

Time to fight back and then, reunite his family. He'd promised.

**Author's Note:**

> The bottle of water is the one that the first agent dropped when Nate falls through the wooden door and in the vicinity of Marlowe's men, every time I see it I am convinced Nate finishes off whatever water is left before carrying on. He can't just take on all those guys while being so dehydrated with heat exhaustion and everything else wrong - he needs a break!


End file.
